


The Things We Hide

by Liorena



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Credence is the crown prince, Dark Past, Knight in Shining Armour, M/M, Mary Lou Barebone is Her Own Warning, Non-magical AU, OFC facecast is Keke Palmer, Percival is a knight, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Seraphina has a daughter, called Amethyst, my smol beans deserve happiness, potential warnings later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 15:57:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13344558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liorena/pseuds/Liorena
Summary: Credence Barebone is the Crown Prince of the kingdom Onaria but not yet old enough to assume the throne. Being unable to stop her stepson from becoming King, Queen Mary Lou decides to use the last ace she has up her sleeve. She forces him to marry. So far the search for a bride has turned out to be a bore, that is until the arrival of Princess Amethyst Piquery and her entourage, which includes a certain knight.Credence believes he may grow fond of the Princess, in time. What Credence doesn't know is that Amethyst has her own secrets and that Sir Percival, her "escort", is always ready to defend her. Well, he may know these things, but he doesn't know is why. Although, just maybe, he'll find out.





	The Things We Hide

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a thing I've been working on for a long while. So here it goes...

Queen Mary Lou of Onaria had been lining up potential candidates to marry Crown Prince Credence for weeks now. She had realized that she couldn’t stop her stepson from becoming king, which vexed her greatly for she disliked him strongly. She would have seen her oldest daughter become queen. In her resentment she decided to use the last of her power before he took the throne to force him to marry.  However, the law prevented her from simply choosing a bride for him as he was over eighteen years of age, therefore she arranged for princesses to visit, one by one, to try to catch the interest of the Prince.

 

Credence was so tired of all the women around him trying to get him to marry them. During four seemingly endless weeks he had played host for seven princesses, each one spending about three days in attempts of winning his heart. They had all been relatively beautiful, but Credence soon found that in his opinion most were utterly dim-witted as well. Shortly after the first princess had arrived Credence came to the conclusion that he didn’t want a queen who would stand beside him and look pretty, he wanted one who would rule with him, be his equal. He remembered his father telling him about the time when he looked for a queen.

“All the beautiful women didn’t appeal to me, until I met your mother. She was beautiful, clever and just. Many times I asked for her advice and counseling, and she always knew what to do. And then she gave me you…”

Credence remembered so clearly his father’s hand cupping his face and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead he could almost feel it, but the feeling soon faltered. His mother had passed away some years before that day and soon after his father married another woman, Mary Lou Barebone. It had only been a year since they lost the King but it was still fresh in Credence’s memory. He remembered vividly how the horn had sounded and the officers had returned with his father’s body. Even though he had seemed at peace in his fine clothing Credence had been able see the small spot on his father’s chest where a sword had pierced his chest and heart, killing him.

Credence almost jumped at the sound of the horn announcing that princess number eight was arriving.

Princess Amethyst Piquery, the youngest child of the esteemed Queen Seraphina Piquery who ruled the small, but powerful and bountiful kingdom of Macusa. It would be a most beneficial pairing, if Credence found her eligible.

Mary Lou had told him to be on his best behaviour and threatened him with a beating if he upset her in any way, so he reminded himself to keep a very open mind as he changed into his finest clothes. On three occasions had that sort of threat been fulfilled. Credence felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he recalled the cutting _whip_ of the thin rod as it cut through the air and the raw sound when it met flesh, the pain that had burdened him for days after and the cold feeling when he thought of what his father would do if he were still alive to stop her.

While his father was still alive Mary Lou had been considerate and even kind, but once he died that changed. She had claimed the role of regent and started to make inquiries about how she might take away Credence’s birthright, all behind locked doors. For even though he was considered a grown (if somewhat young) man at twenty-four years the law states that he cannot ascend to the throne until he was twenty-five years of age. When she found that she could not dethrone him she became harsh and unforgiving. She looked for any reason to punish him. His two younger sisters had felt her rage a couple of times, but Credence always did his best to keep Mary Lou from hurting them, even if it meant him taking the blame for something one of them had done.

Chastity was the perfect daughter most of the time. Never raised her voice, never complained when she was asked to do anything and found herself a husband at the age of nineteen. Her transgressions mostly came in the form of reading books Mary Lou found hedonistic.

Modesty was different. She had attitude. She was still only ten years old and where her Father had always been happy to answer her questions, Mary Lou was not. And thus if Modesty asked a question Mary Lou didn’t approve of, it could have terrible consequences. Credence always tried to step in, to help her, and sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Credence often thanked his lucky star for the fact that he was the Crown Prince, for it meant that Mary Lou couldn’t hurt him as much as she might have liked but she still took some action. He shivered at the thought of how his life would have been had they been poor, living on small contributions and prayers.

He dismissed the thoughts and quickly made his way to the main hall.

The hall had always been one of his favourite places in the castle. He remembered how it used to be filled with light and laughter, how he used to play hide-and-seek with his mother, how the flowers always seemed to smell so sweet and the marble floors always seemed warm as if the sun had shining on it for hours. There were no flowers now. Mary Lou was a woman of few luxuries. She saw no purpose in flowers in the main hall and thus there were none. Although the hall still had its grandeur with marble columns and golden decorations, it felt much less welcoming that it used to.

Even though the sun was shining and the hall was filled with light, everything looked suspiciously grey to Credence. The closed gates with golden decorations left the guards in shadow, their uniforms looking dark blue instead of the green and gold he knew they were. There, at the far end of the hall, were the two thrones. They had once been welcoming, the green velvet of the seat had been soft and warm, now he didn’t dare touch them. He smiled at the memory of his father coaxing him to sit in his lap while their subjects asked for council. Credence used to have very little patience for these meetings, but King Constalan had always persuaded him to stay, to listen, to ponder the problems of the poor together with him.

“One day, Credence, you will sit in this throne, these problems will be yours to solve and I cannot guarantee that I will be here to help you on that day. So tell me, how would you solve this man’s problem?”

 

* * *

 

“Credence!”

Modesty, his youngest stepsister, was calling for him and her voice brought him back from the safety of his memories. She was waving him over to the thrones. She was smiling which was a lovely change from her usually slightly scared facial expressions and Credence couldn’t help but smile as well as he moved towards her.

Mary Lou was already there, sitting in the throne that had become hers when she married King Constalan so many years ago, looking over the hall with steel in her gaze. Credence took his place at the steps of the two thrones, his father’s gaping empty, next to Modesty. Chastity would have been standing between them but she had already moved to her husband’s kingdom.

The large gates opened and three clear hits from the footman’s cane echoed through the main hall. It was still early in the day and the gates faced east, so when they opened the hall was flooded with light. It blinded them all for a short while, but their eyes soon adjusted.

“The Princess Amethyst Piquery of Macusa.” he announced with a clear voice.The Princess’s silhouette appeared, accompanied by the silhouette of a man with an athletic build walking close to her and several servants further behind them. Credence had to focus to be able to see them. Once he did he had to admit that the Princess seemed to have beauty beyond what was possible on this earth.

Her skin was creamy brown and her eyes were dark brown and something told Credence that, even though she at the moment merely seemed tired, the iron in her gaze could have rivaled even that of Mary Lou. After all, the Piquerys were known to be firm in their beliefs. Her hair was as dark brown as her eyes, long and curly as it fell gracefully over her shoulders. She was wearing a long, deep purple gown with golden embroideries and she had a golden cape still wrapped around her shoulders. On her head sat a beautiful golden tiara with a deep purple gem in the middle, an amethyst, Credence guessed.

Credence turned his attention to the man and was shocked to find that he was walking a mere step behind the Princess. Credence glanced up at Mary Lou while trying to hide the fear that bubbled up inside him. It was an outrage. A man, although finely dressed himself, walking so close to a highborn princess! Mary Lou would be furious and Credence could only hope that she would not take it out on him or Modesty.

He was clearly a man of stature, which eased the scandal a bit. It was obvious from the way he held himself, from his expensive blue garments and his slicked-back hairstyle. His dark brown eyes were constantly scanning the hall and his hand was resting on the hilt of his sword, which was strapped to his waist. Credence couldn’t help himself but subtly stare at the man who was, in his opinion, devilishly handsome with his thick brows slightly furrowed and his pitch black hair with a splash of silver at his temples. But he was woken from his thoughts by the stern voice of Mary Lou. He turned to look at her and found that she had risen from her place on the throne and she was wearing a polite smile on her lips, but it didn’t seem to reach her eyes and Credence couldn’t help but think that if he noticed then surely the Princess would too.

“Princess Amethyst, welcome to Onaria. I hope the journey went well?”

“Thank you, your majesty. It was most pleasant. My mother sends her regards and congratulates you on the successful marriage of your eldest daughter.” the Princess said with a smile and a small curtsy.

“Yes, we are very glad for Chastity and we are in fact expecting her to visit in a week’s time when she returns from her honeymoon. I hope your mother is well, I heard of a horrid attack on your kingdom that took place some months ago.”

Although they hid it well, Credence noticed how the Princess flinched and how the man tightened his grip on his sword. When you spend your time trying to hide similar reactions you start to see them where you might not have noticed them before. Credence didn’t know if anyone else saw but he knew that he wasn’t going to comment on. However the Princess did something else, something nobody but Credence seemed to notice. She stretched her hand at her side as if hoping someone, most probably the man, would take it, but when she realized nobody would, she closed it again and continued to smile. It was over in just a few seconds and the tense air that had come was suddenly swept away and once again the world seemed at ease.

“Yes, she is quite alright, I thank you for your concern.”

Mary Lou nodded in response seemingly not interested in the details of the attack. She turned her attention to the man, but Credence’s mind lingered on the attack for a while longer. He locked eyes with Princess Amethyst for a moment. He revelled in how beautiful and deep they were before respectfully averting his gaze with a bow that only she would notice.

“And who, if I may ask, are you? A man so bold as to walk so closely to royalty must have a name.” Anyone who didn’t know her would have thought she admired his bravery, but Credence could hear the disgust and cold edge her voice had taken on. He had heard it many times himself.

The man looked at the Princess as if seeking her approval, and when she nodded he turned to face Mary Lou, gave a small bow as a sign of respect but when he looked up again he met her iron gaze with one of his own.He took a step forward so he now stood right by the Princess’s side.

“I am Percival Graves, lord and knight of Macusa as well as commander of her armies. I was personally asked to escort the Princess by Queen Seraphina and, seeing as she is my Queen and my friend, I gladly accepted.” the man said with a slight lift of the corner of his mouth.“To protect her” went unsaid but it was obvious that that was what he meant he was there to do.

Credence wanted to smile too, but he restrained himself and looked up at Mary Lou who was glaring at Sir Graves, obviously disappointed of the fact that he had been able to give an acceptable answer. If he were indeed nobility, commander of the armies of Macusa and had been asked personally by Queen Seraphina to “escort” the Princess, that would justify him walking so close to her. Mary Lou let out defeated sigh and gestured to Credence.

“This is my stepson, Crown Prince Credence.”

Credence put on a smile and walked to greet the Princess. When he stood in front of her and looked into her eyes once again. In them he saw something, which, if he didn’t know better, looked like fear. Did he do something to frighten her or was there something else that had her on edge? He felt like scanning the hall to find what may have upset her but he assumed that Sir Graves probably already assessed every possible threat in the hall so he merely took the Princess’s hand, bowed slightly and planted a soft kiss on the back of it.

“It’s an honour to meet you, Princess Amethyst.” he said softly and gained a small, kind smile in return.

“The honour is all mine, Prince Credence.” Credence could feel a genuine smile forming on his own lips. He rose from the bow and offered the Princess his elbow.

“May I have the honour of showing you to your rooms, my fair Princess?” Credence asked with a slightly playful tone. He didn’t know why he dared speak to her in that way and so he didn’t dare to look up at Mary Lou, knowing that if looks could kill he would already be long dead. The Princess was something nice to focus on for she smiled, took his arm and replied equally playfully:

“You may, my dashing Prince.”

As they walked through the hall towards the rooms that Modesty had chosen for the Princess he could have sworn he saw Sir Graves smirk.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think by leaving a comment and kudos! :D:D:D:D:D


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